No content may be reproduced in any form without prior authorisation of the owners. Tt c hnh nh v ni dung trong n phm ny thuc bn quyn ca n phm Word ca C. In n In xong v np lu chiu Qy 4 nm The prelude out as a simple Best of ended up as something else our first annual awards. The Wordies. Putting them together was both rewarding yet difficult. On the one hand we tried to maintain an element of The Best of If you read the first section of the cover story, youll see that weve managed to do this.

Yet we were also determined to get a voting system going, to get a real sense of what are the best. To do this we enlisted the help of 60 judges. Our thanks goes out to every single one of them. The other issue was the time factor. By the time we received our judges responses, we only had a week to write everything up, source photos and lay everything out. That we achieved this was due to a quite phenomenal team effort. So on this front a. As ever, we hope you enjoy the issue.

And if two lots of Thanksgivings havent already destroyed your appetite for turkey, we hope you get your well-needed dose this Christmas.

Happy Holidays! Nick Ross, Chief Editor. With Tet on the horizon, its also a chance to look ahead. However, Tet arrives late this year. So we decided to take a retrospective approach and leave our crystal ball predictions to January. What started. Ive delayed writing this, as I enjoy your magazine. However, in the November issue of Word, you credited the wrong photographer on p. What went wrong? Alisher Sharip is a professional photographer and I only sent his photo of me for publication on condition that he was credited.

Instead, you credited David Harris. This error came despite the fact that Id exchanged at least three emails with [your writer] Katie Jacobs about the photo, one of which was definitely forwarded to you.

These confirmed the photographers name was Alisher Sharip. Print Lives On I didnt realise how big you were getting. It gets better all the time.

And you seem to have lots of adverts, too. I know the other mags are smaller, but they also seem to have a lot of ads. Maybe the internet isnt killing everything after all. Whether its snakepits of despair youre looking for or that small-town feeling youve been missing, the expat groups of Facebook supply that little touch of connection that we all occasionally need.

For all of its faults and there are many , this social media superpower has become an indispensable part of life for billions of people around the world. Whether we like it or not, we live in the Age of Facebook. Terrible puns are only one consequence of its near-universal popularity. Personal opinions aside, its hard to argue that Facebook doesnt serve many useful purposes. From the Arab Spring to the Hong Kong protests, it has given a voice to the voiceless and opened the worlds eyes to injustices that once might have gone unnoticed.

Facebook helps charities raise money for worthy causes, keeps distant family members connected, and enables fledgling artists to reach new audiences. Its also a convenient place to sell your motorbike. In general my experience has been positive. Yet I cant shake my primordial loathing of these forums; a sentiment also held by most of my friends and coworkers. The mere mention of a group post is usually greeted by sympathetic moans, as if we were discussing war-torn Syria instead of cyberspace threads.

If youve spent a decent amount of time in Vietnam, you probably have your own horror stories of boorish and moronic behavior online. Anecdotally it seems safe to say that expat Facebook forums are the refuge of the stupid and the mean-spirited. But how much of this is selective memory? Are our assumptions based on facts or biases? I decided to investigate. Hanoi Massive Most Succulent Trollbait An entrepreneur offers to sell two cans of beer for VND15, or trade them for an iPhone 76 likes, 24 comments A man shares his terrible English lesson centred around a tired BDSM joke, comparative insults and euphemisms for fat people 34 likes, 20 comments.

There were few profanity-laced tirades or threats of physical violence. Vitriolic bigotry was almost nonexistent. Solicitations for advice were generally answered sincerely, instead of go f-ck yourself or if u dont like it go home!!!. The tolerance and apathy of the Massive was astounding a suggestive photo of a woman in cellulite-eliminating lingerie failed to inspire a single diatribe about sexist marketing or uppity feminists.

Instead, it was roundly ignored. Apparently everybody had something better to do, like painting or digging for snails. If the Illuminati were monitoring Hanoi Massive, which they most certainly are, they would find little to cause alarm. It reminded me of an idyllic small town online folks buying and selling, sharing recipes, looking for jobs and love. A couple of sourpusses moaning about the skateboards and the rap music, but what can you do?

There are grouches everywhere. Here was what group administrator, Samuel Faith, had to say about the piece. Not really agreeing with the premise of the article. Gutless much, WORD editors? Depending on the Kindness of Strangers. For expats in Vietnam, Facebook forums can be an invaluable resource. Need an English-speaking ophthalmologist? Ask Facebook. Interested in taking Vietnamese lessons? A horde of eager, moderately priced tutors await your reply. Want to know if that oozing wound on your foot is infected?

Skip the hospital; just share a picture and wait for the crowd-sourced diagnoses to pour in. Ive used expat Facebook forums to find apartments, plan romantic getaways, and to discover exciting social events. To determine which posts qualified as Trollbait, I followed the rigorous standards of Judge Potter Stewarts ruling on pornography: you know it when you see it.

Lets start in the north. Get outta here with your devil beers! I dont care about your bloody beer, I just wish someone could tell me where to buy some rice?

Im sure I wont need to look far as youll be cowering in the corner behind your computer screen, abusing people on the Internet to satisfy your own insecurities. Where exactly is that community of sluts? Ngoc, thank you. Im not interested in cosplay. Keeping in mind the limitations of small sample sizes and the unpredictable nature of viral trends a non-story at the time.

Storms and Teacups Really glad you wrote that piece on Facebook Groups p. Got some real idiots posting on there. What would I give to meet a few them face to face and get them to say their comments out loud. PQ The groups are useful, but some of the posters need to get the hell out of Vietnam. Top level jobs are being localized, work permits and visas are harder to obtain.

Some of the people on there add fuel to the fire, and given even more reason to get all us foreigners out of this country. Im determined to stay. But not everyones jumping for joy. Not for a couple of days in honour of a meteoric cultural event, but for six months. Yes, people of Hanoi, thats what the Saigonese are suffering from at this very moment. A city centre split in two due to the closure of that thoroughfare, Nguyen Hue, as well as part of Le Loi, and part of Le Thanh Ton for good measure.

Its chaos. Well, not exactly. But rush hours have become bit of a nightmare and crossing downtown from West to East or East to West can get a little unpleasant. Okay, we know youre laughing. Them upstarts down south dont deserve nothing, right?

But you see, oh people of Hanoi, the cause of all this is a good one. Unlike you unfortunate people who have to suffer four seasons and bone-chilling winters, Ho Chi Minh City is getting a metro system.

But not just any old metro system. This one comes with underground shopping malls stretching from Saigons most famous landmark, Ben Thanh Market, to its other most famous landmark, The Opera House. Theres no messing about here this ones big. As for you guys, up north, well if youre lucky youll get a skytrain. We hear its only in the discussion phase, so dont worry.

We reckon youve got a few years yet. So while down south there is frustration and increased congestion, you guys can sit back and relax over a bia hoi or four and contemplate how wonderful the world is. Mumble and Grumble Even though Saigon knows the metro system can only be positive, this street closure thingumajig hasnt been taken too well, oh people of the north.

Yes, people are complaining. Businesses are shouting high murder, and residents, no longer the happy, happy people of yesteryear are grumbling over their caf sua da, their copies of Tuoi Tre and their phablets. Its become infectious. You see, for those unfortunate to be located on the closed off streets, business is down, very down. Even 70 percent. And of course, there was no forewarning. The streets were just blocked off and that was that. The cleverer business owners, like our friends at Pendolasco, are using this as an excuse to refurbish.

Yes, with business down, now is the time to freshen up for the reopening of the city centre. But these people are in the minority. You see, what all those poor people down south just dont understand is that the metro. And during the construction phase, those hard-off Saigonese just have to grit their teeth and bear it.

The last time them people of Ho Chi Minh City were told of a huge change to the city centre, the destruction of Eden Mall, there were protests and non-compliant residents, and banners and all sorts of obtrusive, unwelcome events. The Vincom project to build a new Vincom, now called Union Square, got held up.

It cost money. And then when they tried to clear the whole of Thu Thiem, that sinking swamp area in District 2 on the other side of the Saigon River, some of the residents just refused to let those bulldozers bulldoze their houses. It took years and even now, the odd house or two has remained. So, this time, things are different.

Yes, the roads will be open again for Apr. But there can be no delays. But to do this and to have that beloved metro system Ho Chi Minh City so desires, so it can ease congestion and become a member of the Im an important city because Ive got a metro system club, sacrifices just have to be made.

To all you Hanoians out there, youll be next. Its fun! We promise! Nick Ross. You could call them Cut Copy meets Kraftwerk a psychedelic Krautrock dance experience back-ended by some pouty, preppy instrumentalists. As electric as their sound is, theyre not well-known out here which is why Goethe-Institut is doing us a service in bringing them out.

For more info, go to goethe. Get your sing on this month at St Pauls Convent Chapel. On Dec. Entry is by donation, there will be a silent auction and all proceeds support childrens charities Loreto Vietnam-Australia and Dust of Life Poussires de Vie.

Artistic Director Brian Riedlinger will be pulling the heart strings. The concert starts at 7. There are no reservations, so seats are at a first-come, first-serve basis.

To celebrate three years of not renting other peoples venues bringing live music and DJs to a venue they can call their own, CAMA is putting on a three-day extravaganza from Dec. For more info go to page 52 or click on camaatk. While the manga scene is longestablished, and there are two cosplay-inspired cafs in town, Spiderman and Catwoman wannabes are woefully underserved in Saigon.

Enter Saigons first comic con, the latest international trend to hit our fair shores and feed our taste for the new. Though the organisers are new to the scene, theyre pulling some powerful strings, and all the finest gamers, cosplay artists, freaks and geeks are expected to make it out. Doors open 10am and go to 8pm. See our feature on page 30, or go to facebook.

Straight out of the Bronx in New York, and one of the pioneers of the disco mix, John Morales will be playing two gigs in Vietnam this month Dec. A legend of the dance music scene, for more information go to pages 42 and So here is an official image instead. Yup, he is built like an upside-down triangle with perfect hair.

When I found out, I was so excited. The guy used to play soccer for the Los Angeles Galaxy you dont see many celebrities like that in Saigon! He was having a party at Chill Sky Bar to promote his new booze. I love booze! And I love parties, but I didnt think Id be able to attend this one. You needed a special ticket to get in, and you could only get a special ticket if you were important.

Now, Im neither of those things, but my buddy Ed is. Hes an editor for a superimportant magazine this one! Ed is so important, in fact, that he managed to get two tickets. One of which he gave to me! Party Time When we arrived at the bar, there were a lot of people waiting outside. They didnt have tickets, so they couldnt come in. The security guards were scowling at them.

But when Ed and I showed up with our special tickets, the guards let us right in. VIPs, coming through! We took an elevator up to the rooftop, because all the best parties are on rooftops. You could see the whole city from up there! We even spotted a homeless family begging for change at a street corner, but that was depressing so we decided to get some booze instead.

Did I mention that the booze was free? For Ed and me, anyway. We had these invisible stamps on our hands so we didnt have to pay for anything. Everybody was really nice to us when they saw our stamps! Other people had to pay for their drinks because they didnt have invisible stamps.

But Ed and I got a whole bottle of the Beckham-endorsed booze for nothing, plus all the ice we wanted! Only big shots with stamps got free ice. David Beckham showed up around 11pm. Hes a really handsome guy. You can see why Posh Spice married him. Hes built like an upside-down triangle with perfect hair. Everybody was really excited to see him. Suddenly the room was filled with camera flashes and screaming ladies. I got so dizzy I almost fell over. It was just like having a seizure, except fun!

A mohawked Vietnamese mobster splattered scotch all over my suit. Excuse me sir, I think you spilled your drink, I said. Shut the f-ck up, he replied. I tried to say hello to Beckham, but one of his bodyguards got in my way. He looked like an ex-paratrooper, or maybe an MMA fighter. Its okay, buddy, Ive got a stamp! The bodyguard didnt move.

The music was pretty loud so he probably couldnt hear me. He did let some other people go by, though. Maybe they had better stamps. Then a Vietnamese pop starlet in white booty shorts did a dance performance. There were fireworks and lasers everywhere. She was super pretty! I wanted to say hello to her, too, but the security bros wouldnt let me onto the balcony.

Who do I look like, one of those stampless bums outside? I asked, but nobody was listening. At midnight, Beckham left the party. We all lined up to say goodbye. Everybody was feeling good one of his bodyguards even high-fived me on the way out!

I was trying to take a picture at the time, which kind of stinks, but I understood where he was coming from. You cant help but get excited around the stars! The Axis of Not Cricket On the launch of a new cricket season, all eyes stay on the prize their stance towards the game they simply reply, Not loving it.

Yet head to the subcontinent, and for half a billion Indians a good googly is like a good breakfast essential for a young mans development. If that goes over your head and youre in a happy Vietnamese cocoon of a non-cricket situation, its fair to say that leather-on-willow just isnt your thing. Youll never understand the vagaries of the five-day test, nor ponder the value of an extra slip before tea. Youll remain apathetic about the T20 mercenary, and its likely that youll never enjoy a well-timed pull without an element of adolescent guilt.

Leg before wicket? Go back to jumping rope. Jon Aspin. Most of the world loves it, thats a fact, but there remains a recalcitrant minority. A report released by the Bureau of Accurate Information confirms the existence of rogue states still yet to adopt cricket as their national pastime. Unafraid to name names, it further alleges that these anti-cricketers have organised themselves into what the bureau calls The Axis of Not Cricket, and when asked about.

For those of us of the opposite persuasion, start jumping for joy. Now in its 9th edition, and still being played on the best oval and only cricket wicket in Vietnam, the action has already gone tropical along with the heat. Now, in cricket as in life, there is no room for impartiality, modesty or balance when it comes to the facts.

But nice guys dont often win in this game, rather they get smashed for 27 off an over, bat down the order and end up ruing the day they ever got involved because the English Cricket Club ECC were one short.

Nevertheless, it is these people that make the game great and one of them is John Patrick, or JP to his fans. JP makes the game.

Hes an American who thinks he might be Australian, which makes him a renegade. More importantly though, hes achieved something special before his teams even bowled a ball this year. The Florida native and self-confessed former volleyballer, science teacher and massive Gators fan has had a huge offseason by taking it upon himself to get the Australian teams crest tattooed on his upper-thigh. Youre reading that correctly.

Hes had what essentially amounts to the Aussie coat of arms tattooed permanently on his body, and its not small. Any American who will do this is alright with me, and any cricketer who will do it deserves a place in the hall of fame. Credit has to go to the Saigon Australia Cricket Club SACC administration, who immediately rewarded the act with a free lifetime membership at the club. Correct weight boys, youve earnt some respect back there.

The original idea was beer-fuelled, admits JP. We had just won the cup, sure, but it reminds me of a tough time and some great guys that got me through it. The fact that they gave me a life membership for as long as Im in town is a bonus. And that right there is why I still love cricket. A great leveller, a good clean way to spend your Sunday morning in Saigon and a game thats loved by all, a few recalcitrant minorities aside.

The season runs from now until the end of May. Check facebook. Nestled in this oasis lies one of the areas newest and best-kept secrets Fragrant Path Green Tea Gardens a nature retreat dedicated to rest, relaxation and restoration. A mere hours drive from downtown is all it takes for the noise to dissipate, the air to clear and a quiet calm to settle. Fragrant Path is the latest offering from the Tet Lifestyle Collection, a boutique hospitality company with properties throughout the north of Vietnam.

A decade in the making, the company is finally opening the doors to this gem, offering Hanoians a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and connect with the areas natural surroundings. First purchased as a small plot back in the early s, the Tet Lifestyle team have. The property is a work in progress, a journey, says Pete Wilkes, co-founder of the Tet Lifestyle Collection. Weve slowly been adding small things here and there.

But everything is organic, everything is handmade, everything has a story. The result is a sprawling property dotted with gardens, artwork and 12 reconstructed houses relocated from around northern Vietnam and restored on site. The houses, the oldest of which is years, not only serve as dining and sleeping locations, but also retreats for art, reflection and yoga.

Linking the houses is a series of trails and hand-built stone walls leading guests past gardens and lotus ponds, along the ridge that encircles the area and into the hidden valley at the back of the property. A Return When we first bought the land we had no idea this valley even existed, says Pete. The forest was so thick that it wasnt until we started following the creek through the dense vegetation that we realised there was.

The discovery of the year-old tea plantation happened in much the same way. After cutting back the forest the team discovered rows upon rows of old tea bushes. Today, the plantation is once again harvested and visitors are invited to sample the fragrant green brew. With overnight accommodation starting early next year, guests will be able to stay in lovingly decorated earth houses filled with antique collectables, handmade furniture and decorations crafted in Vietnams northwest minority villages.

In the meantime, Pete and his team are offering day excursions, known as Nourishment Days. Designed to harmonise body and mind, these day-retreats include a hands-on organic Vietnamese cooking class, restorative yoga, meditation, trekking and massage. The property is also open for private groups by appointment.

For more info, visit tetlifestyle-collection. Jeppe Haugstrup, an IT programmer from Denmark and a part-owner of popular hangouts Spy Bar and Tay Tap, is currently in the midst of perfecting a new food trend set to sweep across the streets of Hanoi: the Danish hotdog. The authentic treat aims to tap into the demand for meaty sandwiches that remain ever popular in Vietnam. But Jeppe hopes that his premium snack will be a game changer. Vietnamese people are now earning more and we believe there is a strong demand for a high quality product like ours, says Jeppe.

The Danish hotdog is less about the bread and more about the taste. His accomplice, Soren, is an. During a drunken night in Manila, the pair came up with the idea to go into business and produce authentic Danish hotdogs in Hanoi. Two months later and that drunken thought bubble lets be honest, they can be the best kind is now a reality.

Prime Cuts After disappearing into the Spy Bar kitchen, Soren returns with a neat square of brown paper folded around one of his spectacular creations. Walking me through it, he explains that compared with usual hotdog sausages, which are actually quite low on protein, our sausages are 80 percent meat and we only use prime cuts.

We also use no artificial flavours and the sausage is our. So whats on top of this glorious Danish sausage? A sprinkling of fried onions, raw onions, an authentic Danish sauce known as remoulade a concoction of ketchup, mustard, vinegar, vegetables and spices , cucumber salad, ketchup and a dollop of mustard.

All of these elements are neatly sandwiched into a modestly sized hotdog bun, custom-made for Jeppe and Sorens creation. At the Ready Having litmus-tested their Danish wieners with Spy Bars clientele, the pair hopes to gradually roll out hotdog stands across the Old Quarter. Weve spent a month and half. We really wanted to make sure it was perfect, Jeppe says with one of his patented, no-jokingaround looks.

We already have people buying the sausages by the kilo from us and we hope one day we can expand the operation to include selling to hotels and restaurants.

Adds Soren: Were also working on an even more premium sausage with sundried tomato and olive, as well as an Italian sausage and German bratwurst. For now, the hotdog is the main game and you can buy one of these glorious explosions of deliciousness at Spy Bar for VND35, a pop. But dont be surprised if you see them dished out at stands around Ma May in the not-too-distant future. So what does this humble writer have to say about this year-old recipe perfected in Hanoi by these two burly Danes?

Ill have two more, thanks. David Mann. In Transition: Ha Hoi Developers are trying to give a classic area of the capital a makeover. Yet the s buildings of the past refuse to give way. Words by Katie Jacobs. Photo by David Harris. With relatively quiet winding streets, vines of flowers tumbling over courtyard walls and cute boutiques occupying every corner, classical colonial mansions and s villas stand stoically among the chaos of modern day Hanoi.

The area has hardly changed since I was born here in the s, says Chi Hoa, owner of Cafe 67, a coffee shop located in the renovated garage of an old French-style house on Tran Quoc Toan, one of the areas main thoroughfares. A little busier perhaps, and more crowded with people and motorbikes, but there are very few significant differences.

That is until recently, when a glossy new building shot up next door to the year-old house. With the destruction of the original villa five years ago, number 65 is now the site of an eight-storey apartment block.

The sparkling white exterior and grand scale provide a sharp contrast with the faded glory of the neighbouring low rises. Not that the new construction is the only contemporary building in this quarter. Newer buildings dot the streets, often creating a hybrid mismatch that reflects.

But this bold new arrival towering over the intersection of Ha Hoi and Tran Quoc Toan streets is impossible to miss. Saving Face In all fairness, the peaked window mouldings and French-style doors leading onto wrought-iron balconies suggest attempts have been made to mimic the neighbouring aesthetic.

The result, however, lacks the delicate details of adjacent buildings, making it seem a little too big and a little too gaudy. The older buildings are more beautiful than the new ones and it would be good if they could be all renovated, says Chi Hoa. But old buildings are uncomfortable and new buildings make more money. A new rule has been put into place since the villa at number 65 was knocked down. Owners are no longer allowed to destroy old buildings without first going through a long approval process, making it more difficult to replace old buildings with new ones.

But with the promise of money, people will always find ways around this rule, continues the coffee shop owner. Then the character of the neighbourhood will really change. The veterinary science student-training clinic at Thai Nguyen University. The 70th school Cargill have built in Vietnam.

This months spotlight is on an organisation that comes from a background opposed to most that we feature and theyve brought their business acumen with them.

Thats a pretty complicated organisational chart in anyones language. It also makes them unlike most of the other Charity of the Months weve been featuring in these pages. They dont need your donation, but that doesnt mean theyre not worthy of a mention for the great things theyve been doing all over the country. Since arriving here 19 years ago, under the umbrella brand of Cargill Cares, theyve been building a boatload of schools of all kinds, and last month marked number 70 a milestone for the company.

It will give students hands-on experience and provide animal treatment services for livestock farmers in surrounding communities. Constructed at a cost of over VND1 billion, the clinic includes examination and medical storage rooms, and is outfitted with diagnostic and testing facilities.

We have no idea what that means, but it sounds pretty awesome. As a leader in. With this project a specialised counterpoint to most of its school-building history Cargill is directly contributing to Vietnams knowledge infrastructure. Tran Nhat Thang, a lecturer at the university said, Cargills clinic is such a valuable asset to us. Previously, we had to work and teach under challenging conditions deteriorating infrastructure, obsolete equipment, and students suffered from [a] lack of practical, hands-on experience.

With the new clinic, these issues have all been resolved, and we now have the ability to train students with different animal species to broaden their expertise. A Partner in Progress Cargills school-building programme has been recognised several times by the Vietnamese government recognition that includes the Labour Medal Class 3, given by President Nguyen Minh Triet. It aims to provide access to education for students from low-income families in rural Vietnamese communities, and at present estimates has achieved exactly that for around 13, students proving.

Chanh Truong, country representative for Cargill Vietnam, said, We are incredibly proud to have reached our school milestone after 19 years of hard work. All this was made possible through our shared goal of helping rural students have a better life.

Together with our employees, customers and suppliers, we are committed to supporting our countrys future leaders and ensuring that Vietnam thrives. The aim for Cargill is not to stop there. Their goal is 17, students helped and 75 schools built by the end of their 20th anniversary in Vietnam which happens to be next year.

While its easy to be cynical about the big players profiting from their presence in developing nations, when you read this story, visit their website and watch their videos, its nice to see them making good on their commitment. Congratulations Cargill, youre doing what you said you would, we all look forward to hearing about school number Jon Aspin To track Cargills school-building effort, go to cargill.

On Nov. The modern horror fan goes to their local theater and parts with their money on the expectation that their selected horror film will deliver the goods, so to speak: startle them a sufficient number of times scaling appropriately with the film's A Eternals time, of course and give them the money shots blood, gore, graphic murders, well-lit and up-close views of the applicable CGI monster etc.

I put that in quotes becaEternalse a disgEternalstled filmgoer behind me broadcasted those exact words across the theater as the credits for this film rolled. He really wanted Eternals to know his thoughts.

Hi and Welcome to the new release called Eternals which is actually one of the exciting movies coming out in the year He walks through the aisles, past a shelf full of toy space shuttles, and grabs some bottles of water and snacks. The owner argues with a customer as Lee nods and whizzes out the door.

In the background, news reports mention unusual phenomena happening in various cities. Lee trades a few words with the man sitting behind him, the kind of guy who rolls his sleeves up past his biceps sans irony. His son is playing as well. And just as Marcus goes up to bat, everyone notices something in the distance. Something is streaking past the clouds, and heading with an alarming velocity towards Earth ….

Havoc ensues. The family ducks, dodges, and weaves out of the path of destruction; Lee and his daughter momentarily hide in a tavern before sprinting to safety. Like a countless other films big and small, Eternals was set to be released last year before a real-life nightmare overtook the fictional ones we consider escapism. An opening salvo of everyday life interrupted by an out-of-nowhere threat, which then escalates quickly into emergency measures and confusion, plays slightly differently near the midpoint of See it in a room with dozens of people shrieking, and the sequence is a concentrated dose of joyful delirium.

Just ask Zack Snyder. Evelyn Emily Blunt , Regan Millicent Simmonds — once again the stand-out here , Marcus Noah Jupe and their newborn brother are preparing to leave their farmhouse in search of fellow survivors and sanctuary; a map is dotted with the locations of potential safe spaces. The haggard gent has a point.

Still, Regan persists. Evelyn wants to stay put, collect their bearings and let an injured Marcus heal. Emmett goes after her, initially to bring her back. From here, Krasinski and his below-the-line dream team — shoutouts galore to composer Marco Beltrami, cinematographer Polly Morgan and especially editor Michael P.

Shawver, as well as the CGI-creature crew — toggle between several planes of action. Regan and Emmett on the road. Evelyn on a supply run. Marcus and the baby back home, evading creepy-crawly predators. The former Office star was more interested in audiences rooting for this family. His chips are on you caring enough about the Abbotts to follow them anywhere. If the first film doubled as a parenting parable, this second one concerns the pains of letting someone leave the nest, yet even that concept feels curiously unexplored here.

Ditto the idea that, when it comes to the social contract under duress, you will see the best of humanity and, most assuredly, the worst — a notion that not even Krasinski, who made Part 1 in the middle of the Trump era, could have guessed would resonate far more more loudly now.

What a difference a year, and a global pandemic followed by an political insurrection, makes. Eternals was a riff on alien invasion movies with chops and a heart, a lovely self-contained genre piece that struck a chord. Part II feels like just another case of sequel-itis, something designed to metastasize into just another franchise among many. Just get through this, it says, and then tune in next year, next summer, next financial quarter statement or board-meeting announcement, for the real story.

Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE cellular models with an active service plan allow you to make calls, send texts, and so much more — all without your iPhone. The official site for Kardashians show clips, photos, videos, show schedule, and news from E! Nunavummiut should have more mental health resources, including better access to therapists and more recreational programs, says an organizer of a rally planned in Rankin Inlet this weekend to call attention to these needs.

The local Optimist Club in Spencerville reached a significant milestone in September, celebrating its 30th year in operation. The club was officially formed in and has been continually providing services to the community ever since.

Of the 28 original members, eight are still involved with the club, and membership now sits at 31 members. Lloyd was an existing member of the Forre. Canada markets open in 1 hour 37 minutes. DOW 35, CMC Crypto 1, FTSE 7, Read full article. November 5, , p. Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions.